So what is it like in Pucallpa? What have you been doing?
O Donesky
Short Version: Nice. Getting organized, starting work.
Long Version: It all seems very normal. Large lake front property, ok, so most of the property is the airstrip. Comfortable three bedroom house, ok, so there are just screens on the windows, and only one bath. Modern kitchen, ok, so there is a propane bottle sitting next to the stove but it all seems so normal.
After a week of shopping every day we finally collected all of the stuff that we thought necessary to begin cooking as a family. Shopping trips consisted of taking a motocar (three wheeled motorcycle taxi) to town, walking around town and shopping until we could not carry any more and then stacking it all on a motocar for the trip home. We have been introduced to three motocar drivers who live locally (in San Jose) who can be hired by the hour to help minimize some of the walking and carrying. Stores range from the market, complete with all of the excitement and smells of a really 3rd world market, to a “modern” import store where you can find most of the conveniences of home with prices to match and lots between. It is interesting that most of the stores that sell say hardware are all grouped together in one area of the city making comparative shopping rather easy.
Odil has arranged for the help of a couple of woman part time to help her with cooking and cleaning. Good house help costs around 60 cents an hour and it sure helps get things done. All of the fruit and veggies (including onions and garlic!) must be washed and bleached before you can even think of starting food preparation. And everything is cooked from scratch, no mixes or cans.
Laundry is another story. One of our purchases was an automatic washer (each load taking 62-75 minutes), but that is where automation stops. The clothe’s line and iron are both mandatory components of the laundry process. When the rain pop up you better be ready to get the laundry in a hurry or you can start all over with the drying process.
Speaking of weather- Hot. God bless the inventor of the common fan. Over all if you stay out of the direct sun, it is bearable, but without some air movement or when in the direct sun it is really Hot. It cools off nicely at night but a fan still feels good until the early hours of the morning.
Last Wednesday we finally had collected enough stuff to begin playing house, so I got to go to “work” for my first day. Work consisted of walking up to the hanger and helping clean and install pieces and parts on the Cessna 182 that is currently getting an engine overhaul. The hanger is a dome shaped structure that sits in such a way that the breeze blow off of the lake and right through the hanger. This makes a pleasant working environment even in the middle of the day. Professional dress so far has been tee shirt and shorts, however, I am sure I will need to dress more professionally once I start flying (maybe pilot shirt and shorts).
Airplanes- to date the Lake is ready to fly but needs an annual governmental inspection and insurance. Hopefully both of these may happen next week, or maybe the following, or maybe soon. The Cessna overhaul is done and we are working on reinstalling the engine. Hopefully it will run this week and then will be ready to put insurance back on that airplane as well.
Kids are doing well. Andrew is wishing and scheming for a faster internet connection. By the way, we are at the end of the internet. It is slow. We love to hear from you but please refrain from sending pictures and forwards. It appears that faster options may be available but we are still sorting through the options, and we do have internet, so who is complaining even if it is only 1/10 the speed of the old dial up connection. Christina is her bubbly self. Andrew is attempting to adopt Beto’s parrot, and Christina is working on adopting a flock of chickens. I am sure that Christina’s adoption will end up to be much more useful than Andrew’s. Both started doing school again last week and are settling into life on the airbase.
I guess life in Peru is just normal. Not much to write home about. Good food, Nice people, Good clean rustic accommodations. Let’s see what God has in store for this week.
God Bless,
Orville, Odil, Andrew, and Christina